Child Raised
by sisterofthenewmoon
Summary: It's Lux Cassidy's first birthday. Everything is going perfectly with her teenage parents, but when it all starts to go wrong can Baze and Cate hold on to Lux ?
1. Chapter 1

LUX

Baze was playing video games. For the tenth time this week. Sure things had been good in the first year of Lux's life but moor that Cate and Baze had moved in together the effort stopped being made. LUX was still the priority but videogames came in close second. 

Cate coughed, loudly and obviously attention seekingly. Baze looked up from his Zombie Warfare game and saw the disdain in her eyes, he at least had the gall to look sheepish, Lux tottered into the room her bright blonde curls lighting up the room, "Mama." She gurgled throwing her arms up for her mom to pick her up. Cate bent down,cooing to Lux as she picked her up. She walked over to the sofa that Baze was sitting on, he switched of his game with a flick of the remote." Heya baby, how are you doing ?" He tickled Lux under her chin, she let out a screech of laughter bringing a smile to her parents faces."Look Cate, I'm sorry I've been such a dud about looking after you and Lux, its just hard to kinda still be me with all of this." He gestured toward the room filled with toddler paraphernalia. Cate smiled, "I know, it hasn't been a ball for me either, what with Lux's condition and my mom, things have really been piling up lately." She glanced down at her baby, twittering away happily to herself, smiling when she heard Lux say mama under her breath. Baze put his arm around Cate and pulled her in closer, he kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her beautiful coconut shampoo. She lent on to his shoulder. Relaxation filling her body. Lux's first birthday was one week away, her baby had grown so much over the past year and it was strange for Cate to think just how much her situation had changed since then, especially with Baze.

At that moment his mom walked in, neither Cate, Baze or Lux heard her. She stopped in the doorway briefly, an immense feeling of pride filling her as she saw what a fantastic man her son was. Lux caught sight of her grandmother standing in the doorway, she was Lux's favourite grandparent. Ellen walked over to her son and (semi) daughter-in- law Cate and Baze looked up as they heard her walk in behind them. She went and sat in the old leather recliner, her mind on the business of Lux's first birthday party. The guest list forming in her mind. "So Cate, when do you want to host Lux's birthday party ?"

The two women were downstairs discussing balloon colours and entertainers, whilst Baze was in his room battling with himself over whether or not it was the right time to tell people about Lux. She was almost one and she would be going out way more often now, trips to the local park were imminent. Not that his usual crew hung around at the kiddie park but he knew for a fact that lots of girls in his year looked after neighbourhood kids in their spare time so they often used the park as an excuse to meet up with friends. So if he and Cate went together with a baby that was undeniably theirs it would be difficult to explain. Cate and Baze had been a couple for two months, realizing on Lux's tenth birthday that their baby was more than what they had in common, He'd had a bit of grief about it from the team but he had ignored it, knowing full well that it was the minimum of the torment he would indure if they knew he had a kid. It wasn't that Baze want proud of Lux and Cate, he wasn't proud of himself. He hadn't been a good enough dad, he should have made Cate tell people about Lux, they clearly weren't ashamed of their daughter, she was the best thing in their lives but right now keeping her away from the world might not be in her best interests.


	2. Chapter 2

"Cate ?" Ellen was waving at Cate from across the room, Lux's first birthday party was in full swing and the toddler music was playing loud on the home stereo system."Cate this is Ryan, he's ly good friend Laura's son." Cate took in the sight of this tall guy standing in front of her, he was incredible looking."Hey Cate, great party." Ryan said with an irresistible smile on his face." Ryan, hi, thanks !" Cate stuttered. Ellen waved at an arriving guest across the room and left in a hurry. "Ellen was telling me that Lux was your kid ?" Ryan asked innocently, "Yep, teenage-mom right here." Cate laughed. "She's cute" Ryan mused. Suddenly Baze appeared behind her, "Hey mom!" He said affectionately, he squeezed her hand. "Hey, its Nate right ?" Ryan shook Baze's hand. " I'm Baze to everyone but my parents." Baze smiled at Ryan. At that moment Lux started crying from across the room, Cate excused herself and left the two guys talking.

The party was winding down, the cake had been cut the kids had been fed and only Cate's friend Maria, whose kid had been in recovery at the hospital at the same time as Lux had had the hole in her heart fixed, remained along with Ryan and his parents. "This was really great Cate, its good to have all the kids from recovery together again." Maria hugged Cate and left with her son Thomas in tow. Ryan walked over the plush carpet to where Cate was standing with Lux. "Thanks for the party Cate." Cate smiled appreciatively. "Oh hey, what school do you go to ?" Ryan asked. "Westmont" Cate grimaced, school had really been a bummer lately. "Oh same, I just transferred!" Ryan grinned. His parents called him from the foyer, he turned and left without another word to Cate. Baze came over and kissed Cate on the forehead, "You did great kiddo." He whispered. "Baze, Ryan goes to Westmont and he knows about Lux." ...

Cate and Baze left for school in silence on Monday. "Cate listen, things could be a lot worse, what if this Ryan kid isn't going to tell any one ?" Cate grinned her teeth, of course, how could she expect Nathaniel Bazille to understand. "You don't get it Baze, Lux, she is ours and when people know abou her and us it won't be the same." Cate was really getting annoyed. "But its not like people will take her away from us is it ?" Baze was trying hard to focus on thfe road, school wasn't far away now, Cate really needed to cool of before they got there. "No Baze. They won't take Lux away from us, they'll take us away from us. School is the only place were we can Baze and Cate and not Mom and Dad." Cate had worn herself out, she almost literally deflated as she started crying, tears streaming down her face. "Cate, shh shh." Baze tried to soothe Cate whilst keeping his eyes on the road, which was no mean feat. He pulled into the school parking lot, they were early, Lux was staying with Ellen so they hadn't had to drop her off at daycare."Hey, Cate you are not just another teenage mom, you are Cate Cassidy for gods sake. Look at me Cate," Cate looked up at Baze her face blotchey and red, " Lux is the best thing that ever happened to us, yeah ? So we are going to walk in there and take the day as it comes." Cate nodded. Baze kissed her briefly then leprosy out the car, hurrying round to help Cate out of her side. They walked into the school building five minutes before the first bell. " Miss Cassidy, Mrs Strong wants to see you in her office now, you too Mr Bazille." Jane, the school secretary shot the two of them a sour look. Oh shit, thought Baze. What had this Ryan kid said. Cate and Baze headed into the principles office, she was a woman in her forties with a pinched face that added about a decade to her. Cate knocked on the door. "Come in." Called the principle. Cate led the way in, it was a modern-ish room. Cate sat down without being asked. "Miss Cassidy, I received a call from your mother yesterday, telling me that you and Mr Bazille have a child, you mother seemed intoxicated with alcohol, but it is still my duty to ask, is this true ?" The principle wasn't not a welcoming person at the best of times but now she could have frozen the room over with her stare. Cate nodded, Baze bit the inside of his cheek and waited for what might happen next.


	3. Chapter 3

"Cate!" It was Ryan. He ran over the corridor to where Cate and Baze were standing by Cate's locker.

"Hey man." Baze smiled at Ryan, things had gone well with the principal, she wasn't going to tell anyone and it's hardly like she was going to take Lux away from them.

"How you guys doing?" Ryan shook Baze's hand. Cate didn't look at him; she had her back to him, pretending to have lost her trigonometry book.

"We're alright, Cate's mom told the principal about Lux so we had a bit of a scare about that but it's turned out okay." Ryan nodded, suddenly he understood, no one knew about Lux.

"So we'd appreciate it if you didn't y'know, tell anyone about our little blonde haired secret." Baze chuckled.

"Yeah, sure man, it's all cool." Ryan smiled, "I better be getting off, I got math first thing, see you guys later yeah?" He clapped Baze on the back and jogged off down the corridor.

Baze rubbed Cate on the back and kissed her head, she looked up at him weakly.

"I really hate to say I told you so." Baze winked at his girlfriend.

"Oh shut up!" She laughed, hitting him playfully with her trig book.

School let out at 2:45, Cate and Baze were the first out of class, it used to be that Cate would hang around forever before Lux was born, but Lux was Cate's priority now.

They pulled up outside Lux's day-care; it was a nice place, the kind of place that didn't judge you for having a kid at 16. Valerie, Lux's childminder had a husband, a weird husband, he was called Trey. When Lux had first started going to Valerie's Cate had been worried but she soon realised that Valerie was the best childcare they could afford. And it wasnt like they had any cold hard proof against this man.  
Cate stayed in the car whilst Baze went in to get Lux. He emerged a minute later with Lux in his arms and her bag over his shoulder, for some reason whenever he was holding their girl or doing some family thing it made Cate want hime more than words could describe. She was wrapped up in this little fantasy until she saw Trey, he was standing in the doorway, staring out at the car. It made Cate want to shrink back into her chair.

There was just something about that guy...


	4. Chapter 4

I shook all thoughts of that man out of my head as baby tottered towards me, we were home in the apartment Baze's parents had had built for as at the bottom of the garden.

Lux was a gorgeous baby, every time I saw her shock of blond hair and her beautiful blue eyes I felt so proud, just like the first time I had seen her.

"Come on Cate, just one more push!" Baze shouted His face ecstatic at the thought of seeing his baby. I pushed harder than I had pushed before and there was my baby, I could see it as the doctors cut the umbilical cord and took her away to be washed. Baze kissed me on the head, I was euphoric, I'd done it and all of a sudden it seemed like the previous bustle of the room silenced as the spare nurses and doctors left and they brought in _our _baby.

"Cate, do you want to hold her?" asked the motherly midwife.

I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes, Baze pulled up a chair and sat next to me as the midwife handed me our squirming blond daughter.

"She's perfect." Baze whispered.

Lux fell into my arms, her proud laugh like a thousand tiny bells, she was learning to walk.

Baze walked in, he had the video game control in one hand and a can of Diet Coke in the other. His parents had a strict no alcohol policy, which I was pleased with.

I sighed and picked up Lux.

"Baze, don't even _think_ about turning that thing on when your _daughter_ is learning to walk." I raised my voice, trying to take the remote off of Baze.

"Chill Cate." He put the remote down and reached for Lux. She put her chubby little arms out. How was it fair that he bought her attention with the promise of biscuits and cartoons but I had to be the disciplining mom? Jealousy's a bitch.

I was so damn tired, Baze picked Lux up out of my arms and cradled her for the first time. I slowly drifted off into a well needed sleep.

But not for long.

"Cate, wakeup, I think she just smiled at me!" Baze shook me hard on the shoulder to wake me up.

"Really? I wonder if she'd do that for me?" I mused, not really bothering to try as exhaustion flooded over me again.

Baze passed me Lux again as his phone started beeping, he walked out the room, probably to speak to his parents.

"Hey baby, how are you doing?" I cooed to my daughter. She started whimpering then full on crying, Baze rushed back in.

"Ssh kiddo." He whispered to our baby. She immediately silenced at the sight of him. He took her off me and started jigging her up and down slightly to get her to sleep. Before I let in to the exhaustion I felt for the first time that unmistakeable green eyes monster rising up inside me.

I went to bed that night feeling tired and overwhelmed. Baze slept in an adjoining room to mine, however much his parents loved Lux, when they had built the apartment they had definitely made it so more grandkids didn't come on the scene yet.

Baze had a early morning team training so I had to take Lux to Valerie's all by myself. I kissed my baby goodbye on the doorstep and handed her over to Valerie, I had no qualms about this woman but her husband was a real piece of work. I knew they fostered kids but to even think of any kids _living_ with them gave me the creeps.

As I walked back towards my car I felt a pair of eyes following me. I turned around and it might just have been my imagination but I thought I saw the upstairs curtains twitch.

**A/N : Hi guys, thanks for reading and reviewing as always leave a comment and tell me where you want it to go (PM or Comment.) (: **


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, sorry for the confusion guys ! Basically it was late at night and I have no other excuse but exhaustion, so I updated the wrong story !x Please forgive me and stay with this story because it is going to get pretty intense ;)

Love BeccaLUX3.14

CATE

It was the middle of the school day and I got called to the front office to take a call. I had to admit I was worried and confused. No one got called to take a phone call for a good reason. Jean, the nice receptionist was there, luckily it was Leanette's (the bitch) day off.

"Hello, Miss Cassidy?" She smiled, I nodded and she handed me the receiver.

"Hi Cate, It's Trey, you need to come down here Lux got sick and she's asking for you, Valerie's helping her out so she asked me to call you. Can you get here soon?" I was silent. My daughter was sick. The only time she'd ever been sick was when she was in hospital and that experience had scarred her for life. I gulped and answered, Yes, I'd be there.

I made an excuse to the receptionist and hurtled out of school to the car park. I had taken Baze's car this morning so I had the keys. I jumped in and started the ignition.

I flung myself out of the car and almost knocked down Valerie's door in order to get in. Trey answered it almost immediately.

"Come in, but be quiet, Lux is asleep upstairs in our room; we wanted her to be comfortable." I nodded and let him lead me upstairs. But when I got to his room it was clear that Lux wasn't there. I felt a panic rising up in me as Trey shut the door behind him. I was motionless, I couldn't do anything. This 200 pound man was like a ton of bricks to me, I had no chance in moving him. He walked towards me. I didn't know what to do. What could I do?

Baze wasn't here, but he could be, I had my cell in my pocket. Baze had given it to me after we'd started Lux at Valerie's Baze was my no.1 on speed dial. But this man was moving to fast. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck.

"Please don't." I whispered meekly, putting my hand in my pocket.

"Calm down Cate, it's okay." He tugged violently at a strand of my hair.

And I pressed the button.

BAZE.

I was at lunch when Cate called me. I could hear a man speaking to her.

"No, please, your wife is Lux's childminder, this is wrong." She was begging. And then I understood. It was Trey.

I didn't think I just ran. I ran the twenty blocks to Valerie's.

The door was open, I hurtled up the stairs.

"What the fuck." I heard Trey swear from behind the door to his bedroom. It was locked but I knew he was standing behind it.

"Cate MOVE!" I shouted. I flew into the door knocking it stone cold off its hinges. And there was Cate, standing a few feet from Trey. She was shaking, badly.

"Cate, Cate, ssh."

I walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her.

"Wait, where's Lux."

I asked, suddenly realising that our daughter should be here. Trey was moving, I'd kicked in the door and he'd been underneath it. I shoved it off him and held him by his collar.

"Where is our daughter?" I growled.

He mumbled and pointed to the window. I stood up letting go of him and walked to the window. Cate shrank back into the wall. I saw Valerie walking along with Lux in her stroller. I took Cate's hand and led her from the house, shoving a violent kick towards Trey as we left. When Cate saw Valerie she ran towards her, picking up Lux and collapsing into a heap on the sidewalk as she cradled our baby. I walked towards Valerie who looked shocked like a deer in the headlights.

"You husband is one sick bastard and if I find that he has ever lain a finger on my daughter you guys won't have anything." I whispered to the woman. I went over to my family and helped Cate up. I took the stroller from Valerie and walked my girls to our car. Lux and Cate sat in the passenger seat. Lux was silent and Cate just looked out the window. We got home and they went to bed, my mom following them.

And without a word to any of them I called the police.

AN : So I hope you liked that Sorry for the mix-up earlier xxxxx


	6. Chapter 6

CATE

He kept coming back to me in my nightmare, walking towards me with that leer on his face. I knew I couldn't fight him off. And then he was an inch away. His hand on my lower back. The tension in the room. He pinched my skin, hard. I winced in pain. He moved in as close as possible. I could feel his breath on my face. He leaned in and…

"Cate, honey, wakeup !" Baze. It was just Baze, the father of my child, the one who'd decided to stand by me when I was pregnant although he didn't even know me. Baze was safety and security and love.

"Lux, where's Lux." I shot up in panic almost hitting Baze. "He has Lux, Baze." I gripped at his shirt. Where was my baby.

"Ssh, ssh Cate, Lux is fine, she's with my mom. The police will be here in a bit so I need you to get up, okay honey?" Baze stroked my head, I nodded slowly. My mind and body switched to auto-pilot. Get up. Get dressed. Get Lux.

ELLEN

My grand-daughter slept peacefully in my arms. It was four o'clock. Nate had said the police would be here at four. I didn't know why but I had an idea. Sometimes it amazed me that my son, the 17 year old boy, had turned into such a wonderful man in such a short space of time. Although I felt some resentment to the way he had been forced into being a man I was glad of the product of his 'escapades'.

"Mom?" Nate walked down the stars from the first floor of his and Cate's apartment.

"Hello Nate." I knew his friends and Cate called him Baze but that was far too informal for my liking.

"Mom, the cops are gonna be here soon. I need you to take Lux to Cate so she can see she's okay then I need you to take Lux out. Just get her away from the house." I nodded, got up and kissed my son on the cheek, lingering on his prematurely slightly aged face before taking my grand daughter to her mother.

CATE

I could hear someone coming up the stairs and I froze. My first thought was that he'd found me. He was coming for me and he must have gone through my family to get to me. My breathing quickened as he got further up the stairs. I whirled around as he got to the top, my hand balled into a fist. Only to see that it was Ellen and my baby girl.

I released my clenched fist and slowly approached a sleeping Lux.

"How are you Cate?" Asked Ellen concern and worry filtering through her usual prim and decided tone.

"I'm, well, I don't really know, is Lux okay?" I touched my daughter's cheek and Ellen nodded.

"She's fine." Ellen passed her to me. I was no expert on babies but Lux was small for a one year old. Really small.

She smelt of him. I couldn't physically hold my own daughter without wanting to collapse and cry. I handed her back to Ellen silently with tears in my eyes.

BAZE

The police arrived at 4:05pm. I opened the door slowly. Cautious as to who it would be.

"Nathaniel Bazille ?" The woman cop asked. I nodded.

"I'm PC Gilmore, I'll be your liaison officer for this case, we spoke on the phone." She walked into out apartment. I motioned for her to take a seat, a sick feeling rising in my throat.

"Can I get you anything Ma'am." I asked respectfully, if this cop was going to be on Cate's side she needed to believe that we were decent people.

"You can get me Miss Cassidy." She said shortly. I nodded again and went upstairs to get Cate. She was sitting on the edge of her bed. I went in slowly.

"Cate, babe, the cop is downstairs. You need to be strong okay? I know you can, we gotta prove to them that we can still take care of Lux." I didn't know how these things worked but teenage parents weren't on the governments list of favourites so we had to tread carefully.

I led her downstairs, the cop stood up.

"Hello Cate, I'm PC Gilmore but you can call me Liz." Cate smiled and shook 'Liz's' hand.

"So, basically today I'm going to asses how your feeling and write down what happened stuff like that okay?" She was being deliberately informal, I don't know why but it kinda pissed me off. Cate was practically and adult she could be spoken to like one.

"Mr Bazille, if you could leave the room, I would like to talk to Miss Cassidy alone if that's okay with her." I couldn't believe this, Cate nodded and the cop looked at me with a smug smile plastered on her face. Did Cate really want me to go ? I squeezed my girlfriend's hand and went out to find my daughter.

CATE

The detective questioned me calmly for two hours. Baze came back as soon as she was gone. He walked into my room, his face full of worry and confusion.

"Cate, I…" He was cut off by my lips on his, exploring what had been untouched for days, weeks even.

He pulled away, something he never did.

"Stop, this isn't what you need right now." He held my hands, pinning them gently to my side. I couldn't take it anymore. I collapsed into him finally crying as much as I needed.

A/N So, Baze seems a bit strange right here I thought, but I like the way that he has grown up a lot in the space of about two hours. One question this time, Is the rating right ?xxxx Love you all 3


	7. Chapter 7

BAZE

It was a week since we had last heard from the detective, and as graduation slipped closer and closer I knew there was a possibility that nothing could happen soon. Valerie had posted Trey's bail and he was running as free as ever. I had kept this from Cate, seeing how wrapped up she had become in the looming Prom. We were on the way to school after leaving Lux with my Mom and she was texting a _girlfriend_ about how they thought they'd get asked to prom. I had to resist hard to not peek at what Cate was saying. Sure I was going to ask her but it was a bit awkward, what with her circling the date on the calendar and leaving hints around the apartment. It just didn't seem natural.

We got to school and Cate jumped out of the car, her eyes still on that insane phone. Math, my on and off buddy, rushed over, he had a really freaky smile on his face. Kinda scary.

"Hey Math, what can I get you buddy?" I asked, smiling as Cate wandered over slowly, like a snail in fact as she was glued to her phone.

"Um, well I will make this quick but are you gonna ask Cate to prom, cos I was kinda wondering if.." He trailed off seeing my expression turn from 'helpful friend' to 'I'm gonna punch you.'

"Yes Math, I was planning on asking my _girlfriend_ to prom. If that's alright with you." I added the last bit sourly. He turned and ran away, his face turning bright red. I kinda felt a bit sorry for the guy.

"Hey babe, what did he want ?" She kissed me lightly. Wow, this girl really wanted a prom invite. She absolutely never did PDA's, the last time we'd even got close to anything romantic was after the Trey incident. I guess Cate was bit shallower than I thought.

"Nothing, just being a jerk." We wandered inside, holding hands, I could really get used to the new Cate, I thought.

People were staring at us but I just brushed it off as plain stupidity. Until some sophomore walked past and whispered 'slut' under his breath.

"Hey buddy, what the hell did you just call her." I turned around to the kid, my hands clenched into fists. My pulse racing.

"Wow, cool it dude, take a look at this before you punch _me._" He held his hands up and chucked a local paper at me.

The headline read, LOCAL MAN ACCUSED OF ASSULTING TEENAGE MOTHER. I felt my pulse slow and it was like the room stood still as I took in what was said, then there was a picture. Of Trey. Cate slowly realised what was going on, before she snatched the paper from my hands, threw it to the floor and ran away. The world started moving again and I looked up at my classmates with pure disgust on my face.

LAVERENE

I got a call at twelve, although I hadn't drunk at all the night before I still had what resembled a hangover.

"Hello, Mrs Cassidy." A prim voice asked over the phone.

"This is she." I replied groggily.

"Good morning Mrs Cassidy, I'm calling to inform you that your presence is required at Westmonte High School, regarding your daughter Catherine." The voice said snottily.

"I'll be there." I put the receiver down and dragged myself from the bed.

CATE

I didn't know where I was running until I got there. I ended up outside Valerie's.

I hammered on the door. My pulse racing with adrenaline.

Valerie answered the door.

"What the _fuck _is wrong with you !" I shouted. Her dog barking on the front garden.

"Catherine, you better get out of here, Trey's home and he really isn't happy about these lies you've been spreading, just go." She made to shut the door but I stopped her.

"No. I haven't been lying. Your husband is the one who tried to rape me." I screamed at the top of my lungs. Then I heard him and fear swept through my body, riding it of the adrenaline and making me feel faint.

"Valerie is it that girl Cate at the door." I heard him yell.

"Cate, seriously, for Lux's sake, just go." She begged and I saw true concern in her eyes, she knew what her husband had done. I bet it wasn't the first time either. I turned and I ran and I ran and I ran.

A/N : So, just a short chapter today (:

Just wanted to thank all you fantastic reviewer's out there ! You make my day, and all of you guys who PM me as well, Love you all, keep reading and smiling (: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx


	8. Chapter 8

CHILD RAISED CHAPTER 8

A/N: Enjoy !

I stormed back into school, it was halfway through second period and I was on the war path. I met Baze and my mom outside the principal's office.

"Cate!" My mom squealed when she saw me, her face braking into a grin. Yeah mom, real appropriate I thought.

"Hi Mom." I said as she hugged me.

Baze on the other hand was stony faced and look ready to punch a hole in the wall. My mom released me suddenly, finally cottoning on to the fact that I wanted to talk to Baze.

"I'll, uh, give you two a minute." She smiled at Baze and walked off down the hallway.

"Baze, I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have left like that." I tried to hug him but he stepped back.

"Yeah Cate, your right you shouldn't have left at all. Do you have any idea how it made us look ?" He was mad but really was he honestly worried about how people saw us ?

"I don't care how people see us, I care about what _you_ think and that's it." I said.

"Well right now I'm not exactly thrilled with you." He replied sourly.

"Look, Baze, I'm sorry _okay_ ?" He nodded not looking me in the eyes and sat down.

"Miss Cassidy, Mr Bazille and Mrs Cassidy, the principal will see you know." The prim receptionist smiled smugly as we filed past her, my mom bringing up the rear five seconds behind us. The principal was sitting behind her desk typing furiously. She stopped when we sat down.

"Good morning, now, we have spoken before about your, ah, situation; but it has come to my attention that things have taken a turn for the worse." She held up a copy of the local newspaper with the dreaded headline plastered over it. My mom who was sitting next to me snatched the paper away from the principal.

"Cate, what the hell is this!" My mom raised her voice as she scanned the article, her expression changing as she read the finer details.

"Oh my god. Cate, this man, how come you never told me." She looked up, a look of pure anger and disgust registering on her face.

"Laverne, it's not Cate's fault really…" He trailed of as I cut in.

"Mom, seriously, when was I supposed to tell you ? Every single time I call you're out or your drunk or your suffering from a hangover. And it's not like there is ever a _perfect_ time to tell your mother her grand-daughter's childminder's husband tried to rape your teenage daughter." I said, finishing out of breath.

"Cate, I'm so, so sorry." She said, a tear running down her face. "I had no idea." She whispered.

"We'll it's not like that would've changed anything." I said sourly.

The principal coughed, her and Baze looking extremely uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled. I looked down at my hands.

"Well, anyway, I think it's time we did something about the situation at hand." The principal said picking up a pen. Baze and I nodded simultaneously.

BAZE

We got out of the principal's office just as the recess bell sounded. Laverne left with promises of more visits and less alcohol hanging in the air. Cate took my hand as we walked down the halls, I knew she wasn't going to say she was sorry for ditching earlier, she was going to show it. People stopped and stared but she didn't look like she cared, she just chatted away, mainly to herself as I drifted off into a daydream, about some upcoming English test on 'The Outsiders' and how flashcards were the only way to revise. I just nodded at regular intervals.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, it was my mom. Shit, I thought, she'd seen the article to.

"Hey mom." I answered the phone trying to sound bright. Cutting Cate off in the middle of a rant on the pro's and con's of mind-mapping.

"Hello Nathaniel, I've got some terribly exciting news to tell you !" She sounded the same way she'd sounded when she'd first seen Lux. This was gonna be big.

"What is it Mom?" I asked, apprehensively.

"Lux, just said her first word !" She cooed. I heard my daughter giggling in the background.

"Oh great, I'll pass you over to Cate, she'll want to hear this, say hi to Lux for me." I passed Cate the phone and let her talk babies with my mom while we stepped into the quad.

I heard her say goodbye to my mom and she passed the phone back to me which I hastily shoved into my pocket.

"Lux said Bug, that's her first word, isn't that fantastic?" She looked like a kid at Christmas. Kinda like Lux when she unwrapped, with the help of Cate, her first present from ' Santa'.

"Yeah, babe, that's awesome." I said affectionately, planting a kiss on her the tip of her nose.

We sat down at a table without looking to see who else was there. It was Claudia and her gang of cheerleaders, not to be stereotypical but these girls were bitches.

"Um, hi." I said to the closest blonde.

"Hey Nate, well I guess now we know why your with _her_ instead of one of us like you should be." I paused waiting for Claudia to carry on. "She's easy." They all giggled incessantly.

"Claudia, I am warning you, if you start talking shit about Me and Cate you will not have a reputation left. Okay?" I took Cate's hand stood up and left without another word to any of the open-mouthed girls.

A/N : Bassically in this chapter I wanted to show all of you how Baze and Cate would react if their school knew about Lux. So far so good huh ? Anyway, leave me a message or review as always (: Love xxxx


	9. Chapter 9

CHILD RAISED CHAPTER 9 !

CATE

I was playing with my daughter in the front room in the moment I found out. Baze walked through the door, an ecstatic grin on his face. I picked up Lux, waiting for him to tell me what I wanted.

"We did it Cate, the police got evidence on him from his past. They've taken him in and the trial starts on Monday with almost 100% certainty on conviction." I just stared at him, open mouthed. Pure joy filling my body and mind. He walked over to me a fierce look in his eyes.

"Cate, I really love you." He whispered and before I could answer we were kissing, more than we had in the past year put together. Lux was just playing with my hair, oblivious to the utter happiness around her.

Baze pulled away and brought us into an embrace, our little family.

BAZE

We headed to the courtroom, it was judgement day for Trey. Valerie stood over the other side of the courtroom and it made my heart brake a little to see Lux clap when she saw Valerie and the smug smile it brought to Valerie's face.

Cate and I sat down together, I held her hand, she smiled at me grimly. She'd given evidence a week earlier. This was the final day of trial.

The Judge walked out.

CATE

We stood outside the courthouse on the tall greying steps, Lux in our arms as we watched Trey being taken to jail via police escort. It turned out the bastard had tried what he'd tried with me on other girls. It made me sick to think that they didn't all have a Baze to save them. But eventually we had been victorious.

It was prom tomorrow, I had to pick up my dress so my mom was taking Lux, Abby and me for the final fitting and pick up, then I was staying at my moms overnight. Not what your average teenager does the day before prom.

In the dress shop Lux put her sticky baby fingers out to touch absolutely everything. I had to reign her in about forty times. I put on my dress for the last time before prom, it was white, long and elegant with a jewelled band across the middle. I was nervous enough for prom but the idea of facing those bitches made me want to puke. I hoped in the week we'd taken off from school for the trial things had calmed down. My dress fit perfectly, Ellen would be babysitting Lux and everything would be perfect. Fingers crossed.

THE NEXT DAY

Baze came by to pick me up at eight. He had a corsage in a box. It was silver sprayed and beautiful. He slipped it onto my wrist whilst my mom took a picture. Abby cringing in the background. We took a final photo of him with his arm around my waist. We looked ordinary.

Prom was magnificent. Everyone was there and it was a classic high school prom. We stepped onto the dance floor for the penultimate dance. Baze took my wrist and twirled me around the gym 'dance floor'. Then the song changed and it was the spin doctors. We slipped into a slow dance. Baze pulling my in whilst the other couples jumped to the beat.

"So Cate, what do you say we let history repeat itself?" He glanced at me conspiringly.

"Hmm, that sounds interesting, but I'm not sure I can deal with another Lux right now." His face cracked into a wide grin.

"Well, maybe we can make the outcome different then." He raised an eyebrow. I couldn't resist any longer, I let him pull me from the dance floor. Our song echoing in the parking lot.

THREE WEEKS LATER

CATE

I looked out onto the sea of my class mates family and friends, biting my lip as I picked up my speech.

"As a new student at Westmonte I always wanted to come away from this school with decent grades and a wonderful set of friends, both of which I got. But I didn't just get that, I got something more. I got a family, and as I watch you all sitting in front of me, it isn't just my daughter, my mom, my sister and my boyfriend that are my family, it is all my friends and fellow students as well.

I definelty haven't had a conventional education as so many of you have. Last year I had a baby, this year my private life was exposed to the whole school. But I don't see myself as a lost case, I see myself as an example, someone to learn from.

I didn't give up when the going got tough. I didn't give in when that seemed like he only option, because at Westmonte failure is not an option. And I hope that as we _all_ look ahead to our futures we have learned not only math and English here, but the life lessons that will lead us onto greater, brighter and stronger futures. So as your valedictorian I wish you all every success" I stopped and looked out at the audience as they sat there for a second, stunned, then erupted into applause. I blushed furiously and bowed my head slightly. Waving to my daughter and boyfriend as I looked back up. Seeing Lux mouth the word 'mommy' to me brought a tear to my eye as the audience stood and threw their graduation caps in the air. I walked down the stage stairs into my family. Baze and Lux met me at the bottom.

"Mama." Lux said, grabbing for my long brown hair.

"Hey Baby." I said tickling her hand. She giggled as I turned to Baze.

"You did it." He whispered

"We did it." I kissed him and held my family tightly.

"Cate, Baze!" My Mom called, beckoning us over. We walked over hand in hand through the chaos around us. Lux on Baze's arm.

"Let's get a picture." She beamed at us. We nodded, she handed the camera to Ryan Thomas as my friends and family assembled around us. We all smiled. And with a flash from the camera my entire family was captured forever.

A/N: So what does everyone think, sequel, no sequel, more Lux ? I was thinking Three years ahead, Lux's first day at school one-shot? Or maybe a Baze in College and Cate at k100 but they've split up and how they handle Lux and each other? Please review or PM with answers and questions. If you guys don't want this one to finish here I can carry it on? Also check out my other fic Mother Defeated !xxxxxxxx 3 Thankyou so much for the continued love and special thanks to SJateBazeGirlscout22 !xxxxxxxx


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